Buttons



.Fume 3, 1958 M, ADINQLFI 2,836,869

BUTTONS Filed April 8, 1957 INVENTOR. MICHAEL ADNOLFl United States Patent iice V2,836,869 Patented June 3, 1958 BUTTNS Michael Adinolfi, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application April 8, 1957, Serial No. 651,329 z Claims. (c1. 244113) This invention relates to buttons for garments, and more particularly has reference to a button construction so designed as to permit one to make a cloth-covered button without the necessity of having the buttons specially made at a store or button shop.

In many instances, one desires cloth-covered buttons, as for example for the purpose of matching a particular coat fabric, etc. In such cases, the general practice is to have the buttons specially made at a button shop. In such instances, the cost of the buttons is rather high.

It has heretofore been suggested that buttons of the cloth-covered type be so designed as to permit one to make her own buttons, from a kit. However, the kits which have heretofore been supplied have been, in every instance so far as is known, characterized by a requirement for special dies which must be hammered or otherwise subjected to pressure for the purpose of connecting the component parts of the button. This, of course, is an inconvenient arrangement, and has the undesirable characteristic that if excessive pressure is directed against a die when the fabric is thin or comparatively weak, the fabric may rip at the periphery of the button.

In view of the above, it is one important object of the present invention to provide a button construction which will permit assembly of the button by the housewife swiftly, easily, and without the requirement of shaping dies of the type that must be subjected to a hammering or equivalent pressure.

Another object is to provide a button construction as described that will be so formed as to permit the button to be made swiftly and easily, while still providing a professionally made button that will give no indication, when completed, of the fact that it was made by someone other than a professional button maker or seamstress.

Still another object is to provide a button construction of the character stated that will be attractive, will permit selective employment of various types of fabrics, and can be readily made in different sizes.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a button made according to the invention showing the button in inverted position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the button showing the display side thereof.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view, on a scale smaller than that of Figs. 1 and 2, of the button before assembly of the componentparts thereof.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view in which the button components are illustrated in section, the scale being substantially the same as that of Figs. l and 2, with the components illustrated before assembly with one another.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the same cutting plane as Fig. 4 showing the button at an intermediate stage of assembly.

Fig. 6 is a view like Fig. 5 illustrating the button at a third stage of the assembly.

Fig. 7 is a view like Fig. 5 showing the button at the final or fourth stage of the assembly, in its completed form.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view on the same cutting plane as Fig. 5, showing a modified construction on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 9 is a view like Fig. 8 in which the modified button has been completely assembled.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-7 the button has been generally designated 10. The button includes a flexible, circular cover 12 of any desired fabric, such as cotton, wool, etc. The cover could, of course, be of other ilexible material such as plastic or thin leather. In any event, the cover 12 may be cut from a selected piece of material, and is cut to a circular shape. The size to which the cover 12 would be cut may be readily determined, and would ordinarily be easily known through the provision of a disc-shaped paper pattern, not shown, that would be supplied with the other components of the button-making kit.

In any event, the cover piece 12 is prepared for assembly with the other components of the button by threading a drawstring 14 therethrough, through the full periphery of the cover piece, with the ends 16 of the drawstring projecting outwardly from the cover piece.

The button also includes a dished cap 18, which in the illustrated example has a concavo-convex body, but could have a body that is at or otherwise shaped. In this event, the body of the cap is integral at its periphery with a ange 2t), formed with outwardly directed teeth 22 of a readily bendable material.

A clamping element 24 of disc shape has a planiform body integral with a circumferential lip 26. Centrally of the clamping member there is provided an outwardly struck lug 28 having diametrically opposite openings 3i) adapted to receive a thread or the like, not shown, whereby the button can be attached to the garment.

To make the button, the flexible cover piece 12 is rst cut out in the manner previously described, and the drawstring threaded therethrough as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Then, the cover is tensioned over the cap 1S as shown in Fig. 5, and the drawstring is pulled tight. The cover, as will be noted from Fig. 5, overlies the teeth 22, and after the drawstring has been pulled tight, the loose ends of the drawstring can be cut olf if desired.

After the button has been assembled to the stage shown in Fig. 5, the clamping element 2e is pressed into the cap as shown in Fig. 6, and will further tension the cover about the cap, with the clamping element tightly engaging the covered inner suface of the flange 2@ of the cap.

The final step, shown in Fig. 7, is now carried out, and comprises merely bending the teeth 22 inwardly from their Fig. 6 to their Fig. 7 positions, so as to cause the same to overlie the marginal portion `of the clamping element 24. This completes the construction of the button, and the finished button will appear as in Figs. l and 2, ready for attachment to the garment.

In Figs. 8 and 9 there is shown a modication, designed to provide for a ystill tighter connection of the clamp element to the covered body. In this form of the invention, the button E9e includes a cover piece 12a which is identical 'in all basic essentials to the cover piece 12, that is, it has the drawstring extending peripherally thereof. The cover piece 12a may, however, be slightly larger inthe modified construction. Y Y

The cover piece 12F- is tensioned over a .concavo-'con- Vex cap 13a' having at itsv periphery a lseries of teeth 22u which in this'formV of the invention are/inclined. inwardly n of the cap rather than outwardly. V

The clamp element 2LP-.is also concavoconvex, inthe same direction-as'the 'cap 18fgand has a vcirct'lrnferential lip 26a which is Yinclined inwardly -correspondingly'to the teeth' 221.V The lip '26@merges into the marginalportion of the body part of-theclampelement 242 'along rounded lines as at 27a providing a cam surface which is Yadapted to bear'against the outer, 'covered ends of thetceth- 2a.

'In Vother'wo1"ds,in this 'formjof the Vinvention the cap 1S@ is first covered with the piece 12'Fin'the same mar.- ner Vas in the fu'stform. Then, they clampelement 2a@ is pressed inwardly, also'inthe samemanner as in the iirstform. HoweveL-n this form of theinvention the maximum diameter of the lclamp element is siightly greater than the'diameter of `the'opening dened -at the outer endsoflthe teeth 22a. Therefore, the periphery of the clamp element will exert a camming Vpressure against the outer ends of the teeth 22a, tending to bias the same outwardlyto a slight extentv'to permitlthe cap Vto be-inserted, -Assoon as the cap has cleared the teeth, the teeth spring back to their Fig. 8 positions.

This locks thecap laf in place -as shown Vin Fig. S. VThere new remains the requiremenaas shown in Fig.-9, of bending-the teethZZa inwardlyover'the periphery of the clamping element to complete; thebutton-constrution. it'will be readily apparent that a double locking action V-is achieved, Vfirst by the snapping of the clamp element into place as `shown in-Fig. 8, 'and secondfbythe inwardlybent teeth shown in Fig. V9. Y

In both forms ofthe invention,the device is Vcharacterized by the ease of assembly, and by the complete absence'of special shaping dies, hammering means, or specially'fon'ned tools. One can assemble the button entirelyby hand,` with maximum speed and ease.

"Still further, the button has a"desirable'characteristic of being capableof manufacture atvery low cost. The y individual componentsfthat is, thecap `and the clamp element, Vcan'be stamped in quantity, and sold invarious vidual user and would ordinarily be suppliedV in this man-ner, since it would generally be selected to VVVmatchVV or harmonize withthefa'bric ofthe garment on which the button is to be used.

While I have illustrated and described the preferredV embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein new, and desire to secure lby .Unitedl'States letters Patent is:

l. A button comprising a Vdished cap including a peripheral series of teeth, .a flexible cover piece for the capextending over the teeth, and a clamping disc seated in the cap and including means to attach the same toa garment,

said teethY projecting radially inwardly of the cap in oVer-' lying relation to the periphery of the disc, the `covenpiece being formed with .means to'contract the VVsame tightly about the cap, said contracting'means of the `clover piece extending marginally of the .coverpiece, said 'contracting means ofthe cover Vpiece comprisingadrawstring threaded in the material of the cover piece. Y j

2. A button comprising Vafdished cap'including aperipheral series of teeth, a flexible coverepiece orthe cap extending over the teeth, "and a'clamping disc-seatedin the cap kand including means to attach thev same Jto 'a garment, said teeth projecting Yradially inwardlyofthe cap in overlying relation-to the peripheryeof the disc, the cap havingja body-of concave-convex formation to impart Vthe dished shape to the cap, saidicap being formed, *Y

at the periphery of tlievbody, witha continuous ilange on which said teeth are' forrnedftheclamping` disc-havV` ing a circumferential lip adapted to-engageagainst `the Vinner surface of the'angegthe clamping disc'being 'so Y References Cited inthe le of this patent.

1,434,077 2,513,182 Koeln et a1, t 5111116211950 2,662,259 Koehl Dec. 15,1953 

